The Trend of Threatening Physicians for Personal Gain
(Podcast) The Briefing – Fake Reviews, Real Consequences: Consumer Review Dos and Don’ts
The Briefing – Fake Reviews, Real Consequences: Consumer Review Dos and Don’ts
The FTC’s Proposed Rule Banning Deceptive Reviews and Testimonials
Negative Online Reviews and Reputation Management: Tips for Health Care Practices and Providers
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Trending Now: An IP Podcast - Advertising & Customer Engagement in the Digital Age - Customer Reviews and Response
How to Find the Identity of an Anonymous Author Online
II-36- Holiday Party Tips, the 2018/2019 Federal Regulatory Agenda, and Noteworthy Cases On Suing and Being Sued
On January 16, 2026, Shenzhen Zhihuida Technology Co., Ltd. — the Chinese manufacturer behind the popular Meowant self‑cleaning litter box — and its U.S. distributor Gaosto Ltd. filed a federal lawsuit against rival PetPivot...more
On December 22, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced it had sent warning letters to 10 companies regarding possible violations under the Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule (“Rule”). Although recipients...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sent warning letters to 10 unnamed companies for practices that may allegedly violate its new Consumer Review Rule. The letters flag potential use of fake or misleading reviews,...more
Cleaning cat litter can be a dirty business and, according to a new lawsuit, marketing litter boxes can be even dirtier. The maker of Meowant brand self-cleaning litter boxes filed a lawsuit against its rival PetPivot,...more
The Federal Trade Commission and State Attorneys General are aggressively investigating the use of fake or false consumer reviews and testimonials – including AI-generated reviews – on consumer review platforms like Google...more
Bah, humbug! Certain advertisers received a lump of coal in their stockings from FTC staff. Right before the holidays, the Commission issued warning letters to 10 companies alerting them of potential violations of the...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued warning letters to ten companies for alleged deceptive review practices, indicating its intent to step up enforcement of its relatively new Consumer Review Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 465)...more
On December 22, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced two actions relating to fake or false consumer reviews: 1. Issuance of a set of warning letters to companies that may be responsible for fake or false...more
Consumers often rely on reviews to help them choose between everything from home repair companies to apartments to lawyers. When those reviews reflect honest feedback from real people who have actually used a product or...more
On December 22, 2025, the FTC announced that it had sent letters to ten companies warning them of potential violations of the agency’s Consumer Review Rule....more
The Commission’s Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials went into effect on October 21, 2024. The Rule addresses deceptive and unfair conduct involving consumer reviews and testimonials. You can review other...more
When the FTC proposed its consumer reviews and testimonials rule in 2023 (discussed here), it included a provision targeting so-called “review hijacking” — the practice of reusing reviews written for one product to promote a...more
The recent 2025 NAD Conference provided a deep dive into many areas of advertising law. While a few sessions discussed the obvious hot-button topic of the year—artificial intelligence—there were many other timely topics...more
This week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a settlement with NextMed parent company Southern Health Solutions, Inc., in response to allegations that the telemedicine platform offered deceptive claims and fake...more
Finalized last year, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (the “Final Rule”) principally addresses the sale, purchase, and publication of fake online reviews and...more
The Federal Trade Commission is taking a hard look at marketing and advertising statements, making sure they are precise and accurate. Here are some key takeaways from recent enforcements:...more
In a significant enforcement action, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Illinois Attorney General have reached a $20 million settlement with Leader Automotive Group and its Canadian parent company, AutoCanada, over...more
Earlier this week we met up in lower Manhattan with friends, colleagues and many news faces at the 2024 National Advertising Division (“NAD”) conference. As always, it was great to see and hear from experienced...more
In an era in which fake reviews run rampant and artificial intelligence (AI) can craft countless deceivingly realistic product reviews with minimal effort, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken a bold step forward for...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a new Final Rule (the “Rule”) on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, targeting unfair and deceptive acts or practices specifically related to consumer reviews and testimonials, allowing the...more
With a Little Nudge from the FTC—NAD Able To Take a Closer Look at "Smarter Reviews" Advertising - Following a referral to the FTC, a "review" site suspected of improperly making advertising claims that look like editorial...more
The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) comment period for a rulemaking to promulgate a trade regulation titled “Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials” concluded on September 29. This proposed regulation is part...more
Room Rental Site Sued Over Chimerical Reviews and Listings - FTC keeps promise to ramp up negative attention on false positives - Ghosted - Remember the first time you hunted for your own apartment? The anguish of...more
Whether it is the FTC or the National Advertising Division, reviews are a hot topic and content posted by third-party review sites an even hotter one. The line between unbiased reviews and affiliate advertising and by...more
On February 16, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced an enforcement action against The Bountiful Company (Bountiful) for a practice the FTC dubbed “review hijacking.” Bountiful, a vitamin and supplement company,...more